Welcome to Living Green!

My name is Nancy Conner, and I'm the author of Living Green: The Missing Manual. I'm writing the book now; you'll find it in stores this summer.

This Missing Manual is packed with information about how human actions affect the environment and how we can improve our stewardship of this planet we call home. You'll find tips and suggestions for greener living at all levels: small changes you can make today, lifestyle adjustments that will keep your family green and healthy, how you can get involved with like-minded groups and large-scale pro-environment efforts. As I write, I'll share some of those tips here.

As a preview, here's the Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Why Living Green Matters
• Part I: Living Green Begins at Home
• Chapter 1: Home Green Home: Creating a Safe, Earth-Friendly Living Environment
• Chapter 2: Save Energy, Money, and the Earth
• Chapter 3: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Chapter 4: Building and Remodeling
• Part II: Greening Your Lifestyle
• Chapter 5: Raising a Green Family
• Chapter 6: Eating Green: It's Not Just Spinach Anymore
• Chapter 7: Responsible Shopping
• Chapter 8: Going Green: Transportation and Travel
• Part III: A Greener World
• Chapter 9: Green Business Is Good Business
• Chapter 10: Alternative and Renewable Energy
• Chapter 11: Getting Involved

As you can see, the book covers a lot of territory. If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like me to address, I'd love to hear about them. Just leave a comment on this blog.

Thought for the day: Small changes multiply. It took many years of thoughtlessness and abuse for the Earth to get to its present condition. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and wonder what you can possibly do to make a difference. The answer: Start small. By yourself, you can't save the planet overnight. But if you do one thing today to make your life a bit greener, you've made a start. And the more people who do that, the bigger the difference.

Here are ten ideas to get you started:

1. Buy paper towels made from recycled fibers. Better yet, replace paper towels with old t-shirts or cut-up towels for cleaning and dusting.
2. Don't drive when you can walk or bike. For short trips, leave the car in the garage and use human-powered transportation instead. You'll save gas, reduce emissions, and get some exercise. For longer trips, use public transportation whenever possible.
   
3. Adjust the temperature in your home. Heating and cooling indoor spaces is one of the biggest energy expenditures. By turning the thermostat down just one degree in winter and up just one degree in summer, you'll save money and energy both. A degree or two doesn't feel a whole lot different, but over time it can make a big difference in energy use.
4. Reuse shopping bags. Some people buy sturdy bags; others reuse the bags provided by the store. Just be sure you remember to take along the bags you're using when you head for the grocery store. Driving back home to get your reusable bags isn't exactly energy efficient!
   
5. Save paper by switching to online bank statements and bills.
6. Wash clothes in cold water, not hot.
7. Buy in bulk to eliminate wasteful packaging.
8. Take a shower instead of a bath, and you'll use only half the amount of water. To save more water, turn the tap off when you brush your teeth.
9. Buy locally grown produce. Not only is this good for your local economy, buying local means saying "No thanks" to expending massive amounts of energy to refrigerate and transport food across the country or around the world.
10. Turn off lights when you're not using them. Put outdoor lights on a timer, or use solar-powered lights to illuminate walkways.